title: Giardiasis in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Giardia is a protozoan parasite that infects the small intestine of cats and can cause diarrhoea. The biotypes that affect cats do not appear to infect humans. Infection is most common in young cats, particularly from multicat backgrounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infected cats that develop clinical signs show small intestinal diarrhoea and there may be associated weight loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnosis of infection is usually based on an in-practice ELISA for faecal antigen or zinc sulphate flotation of several pooled faecal samples. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are available but not used so widely. Infection can be detected in clinically healthy cats so interpretation of a positive result in cats with diarrhoea requires care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fenbendazole or metronidazole are regarded as the treatments of choice. Secondary gut changes may be slow to resolve and so diarrhoea may continue for some time after infection has been eliminated.
authors.affiliation: European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases. Tim.Gruffydd-Jones@bristol.ac.uk
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gruffydd-Jones
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Addie
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Belák
authors.forename: Corine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boucraut-Baralon
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Egberink
authors.forename: Tadeusz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Frymus
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Margaret J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hosie
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lloret
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marsilio
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Möstl
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pennisi
authors.forename: Alan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Radford
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thiry
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Truyen
authors.forename: Marian C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Horzinek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002415:Cats; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000977:Antiparasitic Agents